Leadership Resources

Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may prove what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. (Romans 12: 2).

This series of theological, theoretical, and practical resources, based on more than 35 years of intentional transformational ministry within church systems, will help church leaders guide church bodies through a reorientation from a culturally established church to a biblically-based missional church. All of these resources have a consistent and coherent understanding of the missional activity of God, the changing cultural context for ministry, and the church as God’s called and sent people.

The resources specifically address the issues and concerns facing churches today as they engage in profound change to become the missional church for the third millennium.

LEADERSHIP FOR MISSIONAL TRANSFORMATION

Explores the importance of a collaborative church-consultant relationship to the success of any major transformation process and spells out the implications for both partners. Price $6.00

Classes of Changes

Describes four classes of changes used by church bodies: tuning and adapting changes which are operational, and reorienting and recreating changes which are strategic. Each class of change contributes to a different level of stress, requires a different management structure, and is of a different degree of difficulty. Price $6.00

Cultivating a Learning Community

A short essay, originally published in Transformation, shows how Christian discipleship always involves being a learning community, and what that means in this time when the church is being marginalized. Illustrations are provided of congregations that are learning how to become learning communities. Price $2.50 (digital file – pdf)

After you check out, you will be automatically linked to the pdf file of this resource.

On Crafting a Fundamental Change Strategy

A short essay, originally published in Transformation, explores why the current practice of using only short-range incremental change tactics is failing and why strategic and system-wide changes are essential. Four classes of changes are explored and illustrated. Price $2.50 (digital file – pdf)

After you check out, you will be automatically linked to the pdf file of this resource.

Reading the Signs of the Times

A short essay, originally published in Transformation, shows how church bodies become trapped in the methods and ways of thinking that brought them success in an earlier era. Failure to break out of the “success trap” in the face of the destabilizing forces impacting the churches today will undermine the church’s ministry. Price $2.50 (digital file – pdf)

After you check out, you will be automatically linked to the pdf file of this resource.

The Transformation Zone

Identifies factors involved as a church body moves from the Current Zone and into the Transformation Zone in the direction of the Future Zone. Shows how a church can use the Transformation Zone as a yeasty and rich opportunity for formation as God’s faithful people. Price $7.00

What Time Is It?

A short essay, originally published in Transformation, explores four eras in the history of the church and shows the continuing impact upon the contemporary situation. If church leaders fail to recognize that times have changed, they will continue to waste their energy and the churches’ diminishing resources into failed efforts to put Humpty Dumpty together again. Price $2.50 (digital file – pdf)

After you check out, you will be automatically linked to the pdf file of this resource.

What’s Going on Out there (and in Here)?

A short essay, originally published in Transformation, explores the forces at work in the contemporary context both beyond and within the congregation. Helps people surface, share, and test assumptions and observations about their missional context and consider how to be more faithful in their ministry and witness. Price $2.50 (digital file – pdf)

After you check out, you will be automatically linked to the pdf file of this resource.

Why Incremental Changes Won’t Work

A short essay, originally published in Transformation, provides guidance in building readiness in a church body to make major and profound changes in fundamental presuppositions in order to shift from the old &quot;establishment church&quot; paradigm to a new “missional and ecclesial” paradigm.Price $2.50 (digital file – pdf)

After you check out, you will be automatically linked to the pdf file of this resource.

THEOLOGICAL FOUNDATIONS

This study resource focuses upon Christian practices: those behaviors by which congregations shape, teach, train, equip — cultivate — their identity, vision, and mission as Christian communities. Thus baptism, eucharist, forgiveness, ministry, discernment, and worship are practices through which a people are formed in a distinctive way of life. Questions for reflection and discussion are included. Price $8.00

Going To The Roots

A short essay, originally published in Transformation, contrasts six presuppositions of the “establishment church paradigm” in which North American Christians were raised to six presuppositions based in scripture and Christian thought that form the “ecclesial paradigm” that is called for in the shift to a missional church. Price $2.50 (digital file – pdf)

After you check out, you will be automatically linked to the pdf file of this resource.

Missional Church: A Vision for the Sending of the Church in North America (Study Guide)

A Study guide created in partnership between the Center for Parish Development and the Synod of the Sun, Presbyterian Church (USA). Price $3.00 (digital file – pdf)

After you check out, you will be automatically linked to the pdf file of this resource.

Mission Programs or Missional Church?

A short essay, originally published in Transformation, explores the contrast between congregations engaged in well-intended missional programs and the characteristics of missional congregations discerning and participating in God’s redemptive mission in the world. Price $2.50 (digital file – pdf)

After you check out, you will be automatically linked to the pdf file of this resource.

Take Time to be Holy: Cultivating the Missional Church

A short essay, originally published in Transformation, offers examples of congregations taking the time to “read the signs of the times,” by envisioning a dynamic and faithful future, seeing theology as the work of the people, cultivating a common mind, and clarifying a missional identity and vision. Price $2.50 (digital file – pdf)

After you check out, you will be automatically linked to the pdf file of this resource.

Theological Dimensions of Church Transformation

Explores how people think about God in today’s secular world, what it means to be the church, how to become a purpose-driven and vision-led church, and the church’s calling to be a sign, foretaste, and instrument of the reign of God. Price $10.00

After you check out, you will be automatically linked to the pdf file of this resource.

Effective Organization and Faithful Ministry

A short essay, originally published in Transformation, introduces a Systems Model of the Church as a resource for a diagnostic analysis of church organizational functioning.

Price $2.50 (digital file – pdf)

After you check out, you will be automatically linked to the pdf file of this resource.

Organizational Concepts for Church Transformation

Introduces a theory of church administration emphasizing the church organization as a network of multiple overlapping work groups, linking functions, supportive relationships, and four distinctly different systems of church management.

Price $10.00 (digital file – pdf)

After you check out, you will be automatically linked to the pdf file of this resource.

Performance Evaluation: An Experience of Hell or a Taste of the Kingdom

A short essay, originally published in Transformation, contrasts judgmental appraisal methods of evaluating clergy and other church leaders with analytical methods that not only improve performance but raise morale, trust, and strengthen relationships. Price $2.50 (digital file – pdf)

After you check out, you will be automatically linked to the pdf file of this resource.

Transforming Leadership: From Competition to Koinonia

A short essay, originally published in Transformation, explores four “systems” of leadership behavior which enable congregations to learn and experience the practice of koinonia. Price $2.50 (digital file – pdf)

After you check out, you will be automatically linked to the pdf file of this resource.

Transforming the Structural Design SystemProvides a theory to guide structural design in church systems, when to design and redesign, indicators of organization design dysfunction as well as a planned sequence of specific steps for church leaders to take when they engage in design or re-structuring processes. Price $8.00